Scrap tires represent a significant waste disposal problem. Improper disposal results in increased human health risks and environmental damage. A number of issued patents are directed at the disposal problem by providing for recycling vehicle tires as shingles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,552 (Moore 1992) discloses a method of recycling a vehicle tire comprising cutting the vehicle tire into separate pieces by radial cuts, each extending from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the tire, and securing such cut tire pieces in overlapping relationship as shingles for a roof. U.S. Pat. No. 3,803,792 (Fulton 1974) also discloses a method for constructing a tire roof. The '792 patent illustrates a method for constructing a roof covering out of vehicle tires with the tires being cut and segmented in a specific manner. The '792 patent also discloses use of the tread portion segmented into flat portions to form one type of roof covering. The tread portion shingles disclosed are laid lengthwise perpendicular to the pitch of the roof.
The object of the present invention is to convert scrap tires into other useful products.
A further object is to provide a shingle product that appears and handles similarly to conventional shingles.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide, from a vehicle tire a shingle for a building structure, the shingle whose appearance is altered to disguise the fact that the origin of the shingle is a tire.
To this end, tires are cut along the circumference on each edge separating the tread piece from the side walls and bead steel. The tread piece is then cut by die, shear or other mechanical device or thermal means into shorter pieces or shingles. These shingles are then secured in an overlapping relationship as conventional shingles, tread side outward to form a waterproof covering on a building or structure, for example, on a roof and/or wall(s) of a building or structure.
Different surface appearances may be obtained by altering or removing the tread pattern by means of cutting, shaving, buffing, coloring, coating or applying heat or certain chemicals before or after the tread piece has been separated from the side wall, prior to or after the tread piece has been cut into shingles. In addition, the surface appearance of the shingle may be altered by applying an adhesive coating or a product like PLIOTEC.RTM. 7217 which in turn, while still wet, may be coated with materials like crushed stone, portland cement, ceramic coated stone granules, iron oxides, aluminum oxides, graphite and other suitable powder or aggregate or any other material. The PLIOTEC.RTM. can also be tinted to achieve a color coating. The edges of each shingle may be cut to a desired pattern, for example: straight-cut, scalloped, pointed, etc.
Shingles may also be attached to a backing material member (such as plastic, metal, wood, rubber, asphalt or fiberglass sheathing etc.) to create a unitized shingle panel.
Attaching shingles to a single-ply or multi-ply backing material member significantly decreases shingle installation time, increases weather resistance, and, depending on the backing material, the strength and fire resistance of the roof system.
Individual shingles are attached to the backing material by mechanical fasteners, rivets, staples, screws, glue, mastic, or by crimping or vulcanizing (melting) the backing material member to the shingle.
Unitized shingle panels can be any size to facilitate installation and can be secured to the structure by nails, screws, staples or pneumatic fasteners.